Hundreds piled into the new lobby on a rainy Wednesday in Pembroke Pines, waiting for the scissors to snip a thick, black ribbon.

Located in what city officials are calling "the heart of Pembroke Pines," the new 35,000 square-foot City Center celebrated its opening on April 19 with performances, refreshments and tours.

The complex is four stories tall and features a large concert hall, 12 meeting rooms, commission chambers, city hall offices and an art gallery.

Its official name is the Charles F. Dodge City Center, named after the longtime city manager. "They used to call Pembroke Pines 'Dodge City,'" Vice Mayor Angelo Castillo said of the dedication. "It would not be this place without him."

At the ceremony, guests listened to the Flanagan High School jazz band and helped themselves tocoffee, cookies and cupcakes. Recently named Lady Pines, Martha Schrier danced along to the band in her green sash.

The $58 million Pines Civic Center will feature lots of high ceilings, wide-open areas, a Great Hall, and two other buildings next to the civic center.

The $58 million Pines Civic Center will feature lots of high ceilings, wide-open areas, a Great Hall, and two other buildings next to the civic center.

The City Center wasn't an overnight effort by any means. City officials made sure to remind attendees of that as they spoke on stage in the Great Hall — a theater that seats about 3,000 in cushioned, red leather seats.

"We've gone through quite a long time to get to this point," Commissioner Iris Siple said. The center has been in the works since the late 90s and cost about $58 million. "Good things come to those who wait."

One thing patrons are still waiting for is the neighboring art gallery, which is set to open on April 27. During the self-guided tours taking place throughout the event, visitors could only view the lobby and peek into the first room, ladders placed throughout and the smell of fresh paint still strong.

The gallery will be called 'The Frank,' after Mayor Frank Ortis.

"My wife Barbara loves it," the mayor gushed to the crowd during his speech. "This was built with you in mind because it's you who make Pembroke Pines a special place for you to live, work and play."

Playing off of the mayor's name, advertisements for the gallery use the hashtag, #BeFrank. "Thank goodness his name wasn't Marvin or something," the gallery's curator, Jill Slaughter said.

In time, the center is supposed to expand even further, offering residential units, a hotel, retail shops and restaurants. Some on the 'coming soon' list include Publix, Publix Liquors and Bento Café.

Everything is supposed to be easily walkable, which is music to attendee Cynthia Marcus' ears.

"This is wonderful for our community," Marcus said after leaving the ceremony and reception. "We don't have to walk too far." Marcus lives in Park Place and is looking forward to attending shows at the City Center.

So far, the touring production of Drumline Live presented a show in the Great Hall in early April. More performances including Kool & The Gang are already slated for May.

"It is a place we will centralize," Castillo said. "That one place where all the connective tissue will meet … we'll make many, many memories here."